News, announcements and other helpful links for your Tuesday morning

By Bethany Rodgers

| Published: 2016-12-06 09:29

Cell service activated in Metro tunnel segments

Metro riders will no longer have to set down their cell phones in the tunnel between Potomac Avenue and Stadium Armory. On Monday, four wireless carriers – AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless – announced that they’re now providing service in the first underground subway tunnel segments. The tunnel sections adding up to 1.1 miles are along Metro’s Blue, Orange and Silver lines, according to a press release. Other tunnel segments are expected to get service next year, the release stated. [WMATA]

Conspiracy theorist fires gun inside popular D.C. pizzeria

A gunman entered Comet Ping Pong pizzeria in Northwest D.C. on Sunday and fired at least one shot. The North Carolina man, Edgar Maddison Welch, told police that he had come to investigate a false conspiracy theory about former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. No one was injured. Welch has been arrested and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. The popular restaurant in the Chevy Chase area was named in a slew of fake news and conspiracy theories that bubbled up during the election. [Washington Post]

Two Montgomery County elementary schools get blue ribbon designation

Farmland Elementary School in Rockville and Ronald McNair Elementary School in Germantown earned recognition as two of six Maryland blue ribbon schools for their high performance or significant improvement. The other four were Shipley’s Choice Elementary School in Anne Arundel County, Manor Woods Elementary School in Howard County, Sunderland Elementary School in Calvert County and Centerville Elementary School in Frederick County. [Baltimore Sun]

12 apply for opening on Gaithersburg City Council

Gaithersburg city leaders are considering 12 applicants for an open spot on the City Council. The seat became vacant when former council member Henry Marraffa died in October. The council will hold an executive session Dec. 12 to whittle the list of potential candidates to five or fewer finalists. City officials will then conduct interviews before choosing the new council member Feb. 6, according to a city press release. The applicants are: Jennifer R. Allen, Niles Anderegg, Richard L. Arkin, Jose M. Contreras, Joshua D. Fischer. Helen M. Imbernino, James F. McNulty, Yvette D. Monroe, Karen W. Norris, James Rolfes, Laurie-Anne Sayles and Kenneth J. Smondrowski. [City of Gaithersburg]

New Maryland State Board of Education vice president objects to Hogan school calendar

The new vice president of the Maryland State Board of Education is an education policy analyst who has criticized Gov. Larry Hogan for extending summer break through Labor Day. Chester Finn, former president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, has written blog posts that take aim at Hogan’s school calendar decision. Finn replaces James Gates, a physicist who resigned from the state board because of his objections to the calendar change. [Baltimore Sun]

Rain, sleet in the forecast

A mix of sleet and rain could hit the area early Tuesday, with the precipitation becoming entirely rain by the afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures will top out near 43 degrees. Rain is expected to continue into the night.